2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sam

The cheers of the crowd and the clink of glasses were muffled as if I was submerged in a tank of crystal-clear water, watching the world from a distance. I stood tall in the center of the ballroom, my black hair falling straight like ink, matched the tailored lines of my suit. The sharp cut accentuated my fit frame—an armor of silk and wool that made me feel powerful but caged.

"Ms. Samuels, congratulations on your success!" A man in a pinstripe suit extended his hand, his smile as polished as the words he'd rehearsed. I returned the gesture, gripping firmly.

"Thank you, Mr. Davenport. Your support has been invaluable," I replied, my voice carrying the smooth confidence expected of me as CEO. Yet, beneath that polished surface, I felt a familiar hollowness that applause could never fill.

I excused myself from the conversation, weaving through clusters of investors and journalists, all clamoring for a piece of the action. My company's latest achievement, splashed across headlines and trending on every social media platform, was just another notch in the public's belt of fascination.

"Sam, you're a star tonight." Mary, my right-hand woman at these events, flashed a grin, her eyes glinting with pride. She was more like a mother figure to me than a secretary, but she was always ready to support me.

"Seems so," I said, taking a sip of champagne, its bubbles failing to lift the weight within me. "But stars are just distant balls of gas, aren't they? Impressive from afar but ultimately alone in the vastness."

Mary laughed it off, mistaking my introspection for dry humor. But as she turned to greet another eager associate, my gaze drifted over the sea of faces. Each one was a mask of interest and ambition, but none held a spark that reached beyond the glitter of superficial intrigue.

"Another deal sealed, another partnership formed," I murmured under my breath, feeling the redundancy of it all. "And yet, here I am, craving something... real."

A deeper connection, genuine love—concepts that seemed mythical in the high-stakes game of corporate chess I played daily. Past relationships flickered in my memory like faded photographs, each one a testament to a lack of understanding, a misalignment of souls. They sought the image of me, the idea of the successful executive, rather than the person who longed for quiet moments and raw honesty.

Is it too much to ask for someone to see me? I wondered silently, staring into the liquid gold in my glass. It wasn't wealth or prestige that I yearned for when the lights dimmed and the crowds dispersed. It was the warmth of a hand that knew every curve of my own, eyes that saw through the fa?ade, and a heart that beat in sync with mine even when the music stopped.

"Sam?" Mary's voice pulled me back to the present, her brows knitted in concern. "You okay?"

"Never better," I lied, flashing her a practiced smile. In the grand scheme of things, my personal dissatisfaction was a minor chord in the symphony of success.

But as the evening wore on and the event reached its crescendo, I couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere beyond this room someone was waiting—someone capable of loving not just the CEO but the woman behind the title. And I was determined to find her.

My fingers danced across the glass surface of my phone, a mechanical waltz of habit as I scrolled through my phone on the drive home. My driver, Teddy, drove silently as he always did. He respected my privacy, and in return, I kept him well-paid. Texts from my recent one-night stand filled my phone. It would be easy to respond and get lost in the body of a woman tonight, but I was fed up with superficial romances. These women didn't want me for me; all they were interested in was my money. When we reached my home, I said goodnight to Teddy and then ventured up to my penthouse.

Glancing around the empty space, I felt that nagging sadness wash over me again. It was crazy. I had more money than I knew what to do with, sexy women chasing after me, and a job I fucking loved. But still, I needed more. I needed someone by my side who cared about me as a person.

After everything had settled down, I sat alone in my dark, high-rise apartment, finding comfort in the never-ending stream of faces and stories on social media. I flicked past the usual clutter on my feed—gym selfies, sunsets, some meme about cats ruling the world—when suddenly, I froze. There it was—a photo nestled between the banal and the bland that caught my breath in my chest. Lydia, my cousin and only family member who still spoke to me after I came out, always shining so brightly on my newsfeed. Lydia was feisty and loved life. Lydia was laughing, her blonde hair catching the light just so, but it wasn't her that had my eyes rooted to the screen. No, it was the woman next to her, arm slung over Lydia's shoulder with an ease that spoke of deep familiarity. I couldn't take my eyes off this girl. She was a petite woman whose smile could light up the entire world.

Her name hovered beneath the picture, a simple tag transforming pixels into a person: Ava.

The way she smiled... God, it was like she knew secrets about the universe that no one else did, her brown hair cascading in waves down her back, her laughter carrying on the air, even through the silent language of the image. My heart didn't just skip a beat; it felt like it somersaulted, tripped over itself in its haste to react to her. Ava's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief and warmth that seared straight through me.

"Who are you?" I whispered to myself. The rest of the world dimmed like someone had turned down the saturation on everything that wasn't Ava. Even seated, I could tell she was petite, almost fragile looking next to Lydia's taller frame, but there was nothing delicate about the strength in her gaze.

She radiated a sweetness that was palpable, an aura that slipped through the confines of social media to tug at something deep within me. The smart part of my brain—the part that should have been skeptical or cautious—seemed to be on hiatus, replaced by a determination that felt both unfamiliar and inevitable.

Curiosity piqued, I tapped the screen to zoom in, feeling an immediate pull—a magnetic attraction that tugged at the corners of my heart. Who was she?

I needed to know more.

With a deep breath, I pressed Lydia's contact, holding the phone to my ear as it trilled through the silence. She answered with her usual chipper tone, "Hey, Sam, what's up?"

"Lyds," I blurted out as soon as she answered, not bothering with the pleasantries we usually exchanged. "That picture you posted, who is she?"

"Wow, great way to start out a conversation," Lydia laughed.

There was a pause on the other end, a shuffling sound as if Lydia was moving away from somewhere—or someone—to speak freely. "You mean Ava?" Her voice held a note of amusement that made me aware of how breathless I sounded. "She's my friend, my old college roommate. She's staying with me for a bit."

I chuckled to myself. I should have taken a few minutes to catch up before asking about Ava, but I just couldn't help myself.

"Sorry, how have you been? I've been so busy at work. I feel like we haven't had time to talk." Guilt spread through me. I felt like I wasn't giving the few people I had in my life enough attention. I worked 24-7 and never had time to talk to people and that sucked.

"I know, I see your products everywhere. I'm so proud of you," Lydia gushed.

As the CEO of a sex toy company, I had products in pretty much every store.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it. Now, back to your friend…"

Lydia laughed again, and I could just imagine her head falling back and her long hair dancing around her face.

"She's my old college roommate and one of my closest friends. She's staying with me for a bit in Seattle—just went through a rough breakup."

"Staying with you?" The words echoed in my head, sticking to my thoughts as if written in wet paint.

"Yeah, she just went through a pretty rough breakup." Lydia's tone softened, and I could picture her sympathetic frown, the way she always tilted her head when she felt for someone. "Poor thing found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. So, she's here in Seattle, taking some time to heal, you know?"

"Ah." My response came out softer than intended. A breakup. Ava's heart was tender then, perhaps as hungry for authenticity as mine. I nodded, though Lydia couldn't see it. Ava needed comfort, a friendly space to recover, and maybe—just maybe—I could be part of that equation. My mind raced ahead, possibilities sprouting like seeds in fertile soil. There was something about Ava, a pull I couldn't quite rationalize but felt compelled to explore.

"Thanks, Lyds." I managed to keep my voice steady, hoping she didn't catch the undercurrent of curiosity that threatened to overflow. "I'm glad she has you."

"Of course," Lydia replied, her warmth radiating through the phone. "Family's there for each other, right? And hey, she's great, Sam. You'd like her."

"Maybe I will," I said, a smile playing at the edges of my lips, sensing the truth in Lydia's words more than she realized. "Actually, I've been meaning to come visit," I said, nudging the conversation toward what suddenly felt like an inevitable conclusion. "Mind if I catch a flight out to see you? Maybe meet this Ava while I'm there?"

What in the hell am I doing? As the words slip past my lips, I close my eyes and sigh. I am about to take my first vacation in almost five years, to see a woman who I've never met. And for what? To talk her into being with me? Maybe I've lost my mind.

"Of course! Tyler and I would love to have you," Lydia enthused, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents at play. "And I think Ava could use some good company right now."

"Great, I'll look at flights and contact you with details," I said a little too eagerly.

"That sounds awesome. I'm so glad you called. Just send me some dates that work for you and your work schedule and Tyler and I will arrange some time off of work to hang out with you while you are in town. I'm sure Ava will want to join us, too."

Lydia had no idea how badly I wanted Ava to be there with us. I ended the call, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement I hadn't experienced in a long time. Seattle, then. A chance to find the depth I'd been craving, wrapped in the possibility of a woman named Ava.

As I set the phone down, it wasn't the echo of the night's accolades that filled me with anticipation but the thought of meeting her—the woman who might finally see beyond the title and into my soul.

The cursor hovered over the 'Book Flight' button, a digital gateway to possibilities. I chewed on my lip, a habit when uncertainty nipped at my decisions. But as the image of Ava's smile flickered in my thoughts, the uncertainty dissolved into a resolute click. Seattle wasn't just Lydia's home; it was where Ava was, where new beginnings might be waiting for me.

"Sam, are you sure about this?" I muttered to myself, scrutinizing my reflection in the screen's darkened pane post-purchase. The woman staring back held an intensity in her eyes, a determination that felt like a promise. Yes, I was sure. This wasn't just about offering support or being the friendly cousin. It was about Ava, about the stirring inside me that whispered she could be the one worth taking a leap for.